Forming mill



Aug. 15, 1933. LUQAS 1,922,380

FORMING MILL gmc/whole J. LUCASl FORMING MILL Aug. 15, 1933.

4 Sheets-She'et 2 Filed Nov. 19. 1931 s. m U N JM J. LUCAS FORMING MILL Aug. 15, 1933.

Filed Nov. 19. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 @www J. LUCAS FORMING MILL Aug. l5, 1933.y

Filed Nov. 19. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 15, 1933 l i i i UNIT-sp STATES VPATENT OFFICE i FoRMrNG MILL` John Locas, Cleveland, ohio, assigner to The McKinney Tool & Mfg. Cleveland, Ohio, a Corporation of Ohio i Application November 19, 1931 Y Serial No. 576,139

The present lVQltOIl relates t0 10111115 millS vide a rolling machine having a plurality of pairs and more particularly to a mill for cold formof forming elements in the form of roller dies, `ing of metallic shapes by the continuous bending in which the supporting spindles carrying the' 0f Strip Stock metal. f roller dies may be adjusted to vary the center to Q Thevlln mill COIYIDISlflg the p'elt i11` centerdistance between the die elements of each 60 vention of the `type disclosed in a patent to pair, means also being provided for adjusting the SchalShuhI, N0- 1,538,4563 pathted August 9, inclination of the roller die carrying spindles with 1927 OI a 1`01111g, mll- This type Of m Chine respect to each other'and for maintaining such Voperates upon the stock progressively by a series adjustment under normal operating conditions rel@ of successive passes through which the stock is gardle'ss of the distancemaintained between the 65 `moved to be continuously formed. The present spindles of each pair of roller die elements.

invention is designed asian improvement over the Convenience of arrangement of parts, ruggedmachinev disclosed in this patent. i ness of design and comparative inexpense of man- The principal ObJ'OCt Of the present invention ufacture are furtherv desired features that have is to provide a rolling mill, having a pluralityof been borne in mind in the development of pro- 70 pairs of die spindles-Which are `driven from a duction of the invention.

common driving shaft by means of compact, Other objects and advantages of the invention rugged @D- duabl@ driving Connections, which not at this time more particularly enumerated will driving connections are so designed as to permit become more readily apparent as the nature of r 2O 11H-diedadlufbment Gf the Shawna between the the invention'ls better understood, the same con- 0 in a decrease in Wear and materially lengthening Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken Vsubstantially spindles of each pair to accommodate different sisting inthe novel construction, combination and sizes of roller dies. arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying Yet another object of the invention is toprolfour sheets of drawings in which: vide driving connections `for the roller die ele- Fig. 1 is a general perspective'view of a machine 25 ments which are characterised cy the simplicity manufactured in accordance with the principles@O of construction and hy Vtheprovision of a miniof the present invention. mum number 0f blilesin the housing oi the Figure 2 is a perspective view of` a driving unit machine for the spindles of the various 4shafts p employed in connection with the present inven- Which carry the driving thereby resulting tion,

the useful liieof the machine.v l along the line 3-3 of Fig. 5. A I Y .A still further object of the invention is `to pro- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the gear arrange-v vide driving connections for the variousrollerdie ment forming an essential part of this invention.

elements in the form of a plurality of gear units Fig, 5 is a Side elevational view of a driving unit', n

` which are so constructed` and arranged that the parts being broken away in the interest of clarity 'G l lo Yet another object of the present invention is form of driving unit, similar to Fig. 5.

i5 orally oi the spindles `and which, by their lateral parts throughout.

stresses existing between the gears of each unit of the preferred embodiment. Y j are reduced to a `minimuro `thereby permitting Fig, 6 is a sectional View taken alongthe line the useoi relatively light structural materials in 6 6 of Fig, 5, l l

the inondation of the gear units. i Fig. 'I is a side elevational View of a modiiied to provide a machine of the type disclosed having Figp is a sectional View taken along the line a plurality of. laterally adjustable supporting 8-8 of Fig. 7. p members for the roller die spindles Whichsupport- In all of the above described views like characingmemhers are removable and adjustable l'atters of reference are employed to designate like lm adjustroem.,` will permit installation of an addi` `Referring now to the drawings, the machine intional set `of roller die eiements which may be volves in its general organization mill units 12, mountedronthe .die spindles in common with `the each of the units or stands comprising a rear house usual set of roller dieelements ordinarily proing 14 and a front `housing 16, which housing is vided by `machines of this type. In carrying out laterally adjustable one the table 10 toward andY this objectithe interests oiecon'omy are furthered away from the rear housing 14. In this applicainthat tvvo sets of roller Ydiefelemehts may be ern `tion eight of the stands 12 and 1 3 have been shown, ployed, which sets may beput into use simultanebut itis to be distinctly understood that a greater `ously to formrsimilar or varied metallic shapes. or lesser number may be employed if desired. The A stillfurther object of the invention is to pro stands 12 are identical in construction and it is CA A thought that a description of one unit will suice for a description of the others.

To eect lateral adjustment of each front housing 16, a plurality or" guide bars 18 are provided on the table 10. These guide bars extend transversely of the table. The front housings 16 are each provided with a groove 19 into which grooves the guide bars 18 extend. Each of the housings 16 is provided with laterally extending flanges 20. On opposite sides of the housings 16 T-shaped grooves 22 are formed in the table 10. These grooves are parallel to the guide bars 18.

A plurality of clamps 24 overlie the flanges 20 of the stand 16 and are secured to the table 10 by means of bolts 26 which extend through these clamps 24 and have their heads disposed within the T-shaped grooves 22. An L-shaped clamp 26 serves to clamp the outer flanges 20 of the end units in position. Thus it will be seen that the stand 16 may readily be clamped by means of these clamps 24 and 26 in any desired adjusted position. `The rear housings 14 serve to carry the driving connections for the machine. These housings are removably mounted on the machine and are substantially identical in construction. To this end the table is provided with a wide and comparatively shallow longitudinal groove 11 in which the rear housings 14 are removably disposed. Bolts (not shown) extend through the table and into I v the housings 14 and serve to retain these housings in position in the groove 11 in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

The stand 14 serves to support upper and lower spindles 30 and 32 respectively, which spindles are rotatably carried by the front and rear housings 14 and 16, respectively, of the respective units. To this end the front housing 16 is provided with an open guide portion 34 in which is disposed a bearing block 36. Y

This bearing block 36 serves to support the outer1 end of the upper spindle 30. The edges of the bearing block 36 overlap the faces of the stand 16 and is guided thereby in the opening 84. In order to eiect vertical adjustment of the bearing block 36 an adjusting bolt 40 extends through the top of the housing 16. This bolt is threaded as at 42 and is provided with a square head 55 to facilitate turning of the same. The lower end of the bolt is rotatably secured in the block 36. Thus it willbe seen that rotation of the bolt 49 in one direction or the other will serve to elevate or lower the block 36 by virtue of the threaded connection of the bolt 40 with the top oi the housing 16.

' The lower portion of the front housing 16 is provided with a bearing 51 for the outer end of the lower spindle 32. This spindle extends through the front housing 16 and, inasmuch as the stand is movable longitudinally of the spindles 30 and 32 these spindles may project corna sleeve 52 formed or" hardenedmetal which sleeve provides a bearingrace for a plurality of roller bearings 54. The rear end of each spindle 32 is providedwith an enlarged portion 56 which is rotatably journalle in the sleeve 52 by means of the bearings and is held in position by means oi thrust washers 58 and 60 and a thrust collar 62 serves to retain the thrust washer 60 in position while an annular face plate 64 tted around the spindle 32 serves to retain the thrust washer 58 in position. The extreme rear end of the spindle 32 is rotatably journalled in the rear wall 46 of the housing 14 by means or" ball bearing units 66 which units are held in position by means of a thrust collar 68 and a washer 70 secured to the end oi the spindle 32 by means of a bolt 72. Retaining plates 74 and 76, secured in position by means of cap screws 78 and 80 respectively, further aid in retaining the bearings 66 in position. Thus it will be seen that the rear end of the spindle 32 is rotatably supported by both the front wall 44 and the rear wall 46 of the housing 14.

The rear end of the spindle 30 is rotatably supported in vertically adjustable bearing blocks 89 and 82. The bearing block 80 occupies a position adjacent the rear wall 46 of the housing 14 while the bearing block 82 is disposed within the coniines of the front wall 44 of this housing. The bearing blocks 8() and 82 carry bearings 84 and 86 respectively which bearings may be held in position in any suitable manner.

In order to eect simultaneous and uniform adjustment the bearing blocks 89 and the top wall 48 of the housing 14 is provided with a pair of apertures 88 and 99. A sleeve 92 extends through the aperture 88 and similarly a sleeve 94 extends through the aperture 90. The sleeve 92 is provided with an integrally formed gear 96 at its lower end and the upper end of this sleeve is externally threaded as at 98. The threaded portion of the sleeve 92 receives thereon a pair oi lock nuts 109 which lock nuts serve to secure the sleeve 92 in any desired adjusted position. The sleeve 92 is internally threaded as at 162 and threadedly received within this sleeve is an adjusting screw 194 the lower end of which is secured to the bearing block 82. By loosening up on the lool: nut 109 the sleeve 92 may be rotated to elevate or lower the adjusting screw and consequently adjust the bearing block 82. The sleeve 94 is substantially identicalV with the sleeve 92, there being a slight difference however in that the gear 108 which is integrally formed on the lower end of this sleeve, is of less thickness than the gear 96 formed on the sleeve 92. The sleeve 94 is adapted to be locked in position by lock nuts 119 similar to the lool: nuts 169. Extending through the top wall 48 of the casing 14 is a plunger 112 having a head 114 formed thereon. Between the head and the top of the wall 48 there is disposed a compression spring 116 normally tending to urge the plunger 112 upwardly. Suitably secured to the lower end of the plunger 11.2 is a gear 118 having teeth thereon which mesh with the teeth of the gears 108 and 96. It will be seen therefore that when the lock nuts 199 and 110 are loosened and either of the sleeves 92 or 94 rotated to eiect vertical adjustment ci the bearing blocks 86 or as the case may be, motion will be imparted to the other sleeve through the gear 118 carried by the plunger 112. inasmuch as the number of teeth provided on thergear 108 corresponds to the number of teeth provided on the gear 96 and inasmuch as the pitch of the internal threads on both sleeves 94 and is .si-.nmltaneous and even adjustment of the height of the Ybearing blocks and 82 will be eiected.

hould :for any' reason an adjustment of one igeeaaeo of thebearing blockso or82be desired inde `pendentlyof` the other it is merely necessary to manually `depress Vthe plunger 112 until the teeth on the gear 1l8"wil1"norlonger mesh` with the teethfon'the gear 10821" `With the plunger in this position either of the sleeves 92 orr94 may be rotatedto Veffect vertical adjustment of the bearing blocks 82 or 80 independently.

All of the spindles ofthe machine are driven froma line shaft 120 which shaft extends longitudinally through the housingsflfi of the `units 12. l i This shaft 120` is a sectional shaft and eachY which extends longitudinally of the table, these housings may be thenbolted by means-of the bolts (not shown) to the table so that the sectionsvof` the `shaft 120 will be locked together. Each `section `of the shaft 120 is provided with a worm'portion 119, which portion meshes with a worm gear 123 carried by each spindle 32 As the `line shaft 120 rotates, all of the driven gears 123,l together with the `spindles 32,` on which theyare mounted will be rotated.` f

Carried by each spindle 32 is a gear 59 which gear meshes with a gear 61 mounted on a shaft 63 `journalled in the housing 14 of the unit 12.

One end of a U-shaped bracketf islpivotally carried by the shaft 63. Each gear 61 in turn meshes with a gear 67 mounted on a stub shaft `69 journalled in the bracket 65."` A gear 'll'is carried by the upper spindle 30 and this gear'll meshes with the `gear 67 on the shaft 69. A link 73,` one end of which is oscillatably mounted on the bearing block serves torotatably carry the shaft 69 and thus itwill be` seen that an idler mounting arrangement has been provided which permits adjustment ofthe upper `spindle 30 without affecting the relative centersfofits driving gears. "With the above describedarrangementof gears, the link 'ISserves to maintain the,

gears 67and 71"in`constant imesh againstoutp `Ward thrust while-the `U-shaped bracket 65 serves to maintain the gears 61 and G'Tin constant mesh against outward thrust relative to-each other. Upward movement of the bearing blocksil VVand 82 which support the spindleZ-BO of any one unit will causeinward movement of the upper end of the bracket 65`so' that thelrelative centers between the gears 7l and 67 and between the gears 67 and 61 willremain the same distance apart. The driving'connection, as `far as the meshing of the gears is concerned is inno Way disturbed.

`In preparing the machine forthe particular work that is to be done, the vrequired number of units12 are assembled on the longitudinal groove 11v end to end with the projecting portionll of each section of the line shaft 120 engaging an end of the next adjacent section of theline shaft.

` The bolts (not shown) are theninserted through i the underneath `side of the top of the'table 10 and are secured to the respective housings 14..

The inner roller dies, which are designated at 95 are then slid onto the spindles 30 and 32 and fthe front housings`16 are assembled on the table and positioned over each guide bar 18, the grooves 19 registering therewith, and the clamps 24 and sprocket 59' is a sprocket chain 68.

26 are so positioned on the table that they overlie the flanges 20 of the housings 16. The horizontal flanges of the end clamp 26 overlie the flanges of the end housings. The bolts with their `heads (not shown) disposed within the T-shaped grooves 22 are then inserted into the horizontal flanges of the clamps and the securing nuts 26 are tightened so that the front stands 16 are securely held in position. The stands 16 are preferably positioned inwardly, as far as the Width of the roller dies 95 will permit to prevent thrust on the spindles 30 and 32. elevation of the upper spindles 30 may then be adjusted by means of the adjusting mechanismk on the front and rear housings of each unit in the manner previously described.

Under certain conditions of operation an ad' ditional set of roller die elements designated atv of the spindles 30 and 32 for holding these last mentioned die elements in position. Thus `in the operation of the machine two structural shapes may be formed simultaneously from the strip stock or if desired a single structural shape may be formed by a preliminary shaping process in the other set of roller die elements.

In the form'of the inventionshown in Figures 7 The and 8, `a drivingunit is disclosed, by means of Rotatably mounted on a shaft 69 anchored Vto the side of the housing 14 isa sprocket 67 and disposed about this sprocket 67 and the The length of this sprocket chain 68 is such that it will more than accommodate the center to centerdistance betweenthe `sprocket 67' and the sprocket 59. Consequently there exists a slack in the chain between the two sprockets. A sprocket gear 71 carried on the spindle 30, to which it iskeyed, is provided with teeth thereon which engage the chain 68. The spindle 3G is rotatably carried ina bearing block 82. This sprocket serves to take up a portion of the slack in the chain 68.

The bearing block 82' is substantially identical to the bearing block 82 shown in Figure 6. An

`adjusting mechanism is providedfor the bearing block 82` which adjusting mechanism consists in the sleeve 92' lock nuts 100 and adjustl- `ing screw 104 all of which parts are similar in every respect to the parts 92,` 100 and 1047shown l inV Figure 6. The inner end of the spindle 30'` passes through a set of roller bearings 103 carried by the bearing block 82.

The spindle 30 terminates inwardly of the bearing block 82' and has keyed thereto the sprocket 'Il' which meshes with the chain 68. An idler sprocket 79 is ro- ""F with the chainV 68 at all times and it will be seen that upward movement of the bearing block 82 by means of the adjusting mechanism just described will release some of the slack in one side of the chain 68 while at the same time the idler sprocket 79 will take up this slack in the other side of the chain 68. In this form of the invention the driving connections are at all times in constant and full mesh although the relative centers between the various sprockets may vary.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. Only in so far as the invention has been particularly pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

What I claim is:

l. In a forming mill, a base, plurality of spindle stands providing front and rear spindle housings, spindle driving means associated with said rear spindle housings, said front spindle housings being adjustably mounted on said base for movement laterally thereof, a plurality of spindles carried by said housings and extending forwardly of said front spindle housing and a pair of forming rolls on each spindle beyond the front spindle housing in a direction away from the rear spindle housing.

2. In a forming mill, the combination with a base having a plurality of transverse guides formed thereon, of a plurality of aligned front spindle housings, said spindle housings having oppositely extending lateral flanges formed adjacent their lower ends, a plate bridging adjacent flanges of each housing, there being a plurality of laterally extending grooves formed in said base between said housings, and a bolt extending through. each plate and having an end thereof secured in one of said grooves.

3. In a forming mill, the combination of a base, a pair of housings on said base, one of said housings being slidably mounted for movement transversely of the base, a pair of spindles in said housings, a worm shaft, one of said spindles being rotatably iournalled in said housings, a driving gear on said last mentioned spindle meshing with said worm shaft, a second gear on said last mentioned spindle, a bracket having one end pivotally mounted in said housing, a third gear journalled in the outer end of said bracket and meshing with said second gear, a fourth gear journalled in the other end of said bracket and movable therewith, and a fifth gear mounted on said other spindle and meshing with said fourth gear, a link connecting said last mentioned spindle with the free end of said bracket to maintain said fourth and fth gears in constant meslrand means for raising and lowering said last mentioned spindle.

4. A device for adjusting the axial inclination of a rotatable shaft comprising a support, a pair of independently movable bearing blocks for rotatably supporting said shaft, a connecting rod connecting each bearing block with said support, a ,rotatable sleeve threadedly receivedV on each connecting rod and supportedby said support whereby rotation of eithersleeve will cause longitudinal movement of its respective connecting rod to adjust the position of said shaft, a gear on each sleeve and a gear pivoted on said support and meshing with said'other gears.

5. A device for adjusting the axial inclination of a rotatable shaft'comprising a support, a pair of ybearing blocks for rotatably supporting said shaft, a connecting rod connecting each bearing block with said support, a rotatable sleeve threadedly received on each connecting rod and supported by said support whereby rotation of either sleeve will cause longitudinal movement of its respective connecting rod to adjust the position of said shaft, a gear on each sleeve and a gear pivoted on said support and meshing with said other gear and means for moving said gear on said support out of engagement with one of said other gears.

6. A device for adjusting the axial inclination of a rotatable shaft comprising a support, a pair of bearing blocks for rotatably supporting said shaft, a connecting rod connected to each bearing block, a sleeve threadedly received on each connecting rod and rotatably mounted in the support, a gear formed on each sleeve, an idler gear normally meshing with each of said gears, a shaft for said idler gear extending through said support, and means for axially moving said last mentioned shaft to disengage said idler gear from one of said other gears.

7. In a forming mill, a base, a plurality of spindle stands providing front and rear spindle housings, said front spindle housings being adjustably mounted on said base for movement laterally thereof, a spindle having a sprocket thereon journalled in said rear housing, a shaft having a sprocket thereon journalled in said rear housing, an endless chain extending over said sprockets, a vertically adjustable bearing block in said rear housing, a second spindle having an end thereof journalled in said bearing block, a sprocket on said spindle engaging said chain and meshing therewith externally of the chain between said first mentioned sprockets, a

link pivoted for swinging movement about the axis of said first mentioned spindle, a sprocket pivotally mounted on the free end of the link and adapted to engage said chain intermediate said iirst mentioned sprockets, and a second link having one end thereofpivoted to said first link intermediate its ends and having its other end pivoted on said second spindle.

8. In a forming mill, a base, a plurality of front spindle stands adjustably mounted on said base for independent movement laterally thereof, a plurality of rear spindle housings having spindle driving means associated therewith and mounted in fixed position on said base, a common drive shaft extending longitudinally of said base and adapted to drive said spindles through the driving means associated with said rear spindle housings, forming rolls mounted on said spindles between said front and rear housings and forming rolls mounted on said spindles in front of said v front spindle housings.

JOHN LUCAS. 

